How do I find out if there is a Sweet Monday in my area?
Visit our Find A Sweet Monday page, to see a list of our Sweet Monday gatherings by state.
Where did you get the themes for Sweet Monday?
From sweet women like you! As we meet women, we are always learning from them as they share their interests and passions. Maybe they love fashion or know how to pack a suitcase or make a delicious pot of soup. Or perhaps they know how to bake specialty desserts or excel in crafting, decorating or organizing. Women inspire us and we want to encourage every woman we meet by letting her share her gifts and talents so others can learn. Each month we share the devotion for the evening and invite women to lead the program. Over the years, we have seen so many women bloom as they share their expertise at a Sweet Monday.
How do you coordinate the Sweet Monday theme with the dessert and candy?
Each theme in our monthly curriculum and theme books has a suggested dessert and candy to serve that relates to the theme. You can use the ideas listed or you have total freedom to use your own creative dessert/candy ideas.
Do you pray at Sweet Monday?
It’s important to pray personally before and after Sweet Monday so that God is the center of the event. Since we try to make Sweet Monday as non-threatening as possible and it’s different from a Bible study or prayer meeting, it’s up to the Sweet Monday hostess to decide whether it’s appropriate to have a prayer or not. Women are receiving genuine encouragement from God’s word and an introduction to Jesus Christ through the discussions, socialization and just being together. We always share a devotion from the Bible at each event and are available if anyone has questions about a relationship with Jesus Christ.
How do you let friends and acquaintances know there’s a spiritual element involved?
Our invitations describe Sweet Monday as an opportunity for women to gather and be encouraged by each other and the Word of God, so women will recognize there is a spiritual element.
How do you get away with not mailing invitations?
We hand them out in the neighborhood; we carry a stack in our car to take into the store, post office, hair salon; we have them available for women to take extras when they come to Sweet Monday; our churches keep a stack of the invitation cards in the foyer on a table. It’s a sweet and simple social with no strings attached – and no formal invitations needed! We also utilize email and social media as ways women can share the invitation with friends and remind each other the theme and date for the next Sweet Monday. Be creative on a shoestring budget!
What’s the best way to let women at my church know about Sweet Monday in my home?
Sweet Monday meeting dates and themes should always be included in the church weekly bulletin and monthly newsletters if possible. It’s a great way to offer a personal invitation to every single woman at church. Encourage them to bring a neighbor, co-worker or friend.
How do you plan for numbers?
We go by faith! God promises to go before us, with us and behind us. We usually plan for 15-20. If there’s not enough food, we ask good friends and family not to eat. If there’s too much, we send it home with a harried mom who needs something for a brunch the next morning or something for a child’s lunchbox. No worries! God truly multiplies the 5 cupcakes and 2 pieces of candy. Sometimes we even have to beg women to eat the sweet dessert! Sweet Monday is always guilt-free, but not always fat-free!
I don’t think I can host Sweet Monday every month. Is it okay to have Sweet Monday every other month or quarterly?
Absolutely! You want to pick a meeting time that fits your family’s schedule and needs. When we initially started, we planned for just 3 months to see if women liked the concept and would attend. The most important detail is to have Sweet Monday at the same place/same time each month so women can easily remember the date of the next meeting and to keep it simple. Making your own Sweet Monday schedule is another way of making it your own.
May I bring my child or baby to a Sweet Monday?
Sweet Monday was created for women to attend without their children. If you have a new mother who is nursing and wants to bring her infant, then by all means, encourage her to attend and offer a private room if she needs to nurse. If you have a teenager who can sit quietly and enjoy the evening, then it is okay to include her. Maybe young mothers will trade off for a Sweet Monday night out. If the women you invite all have small children, you could consider asking a teenager to come to your home and babysit during a Sweet Monday meeting. Everyone could make a small donation for the youth. If your Sweet Monday meets at church, then ask your church to arrange for the nursery to provide childcare. Because Sweet Monday meets only once a month, childcare has not been an issue.
May I use the Sweet Monday logo on my invitation?
Yes, definitely! We want to help you make Sweet Monday so easy that we are sharing with you all of our logos, invitation templates and more on the Hostess Resources Page in our Hostess Suite. As a registered Sweet Monday hostess you have unlimited access to all of our updated resources.
Do I have to signup to be a Sweet Monday hostess to have a Sweet Monday?
Yes, please. When you fill out the Hostess Application and pay the one-time $35 hostess fee, you will be granted access to all of the newest Sweet Monday materials and resources to make hosting a Sweet Monday easy. If you don’t sign up, we aren’t able to cheer you on and let others know about your Sweet Monday. Get started by filling out our Hostess Application Form.
I have been hosting Sweet Monday for years, but my name isn’t on the list. What should I do?
Please call Joyful Jamie at 804-754-4333 or email her at info@sweetmonday.org. We would love to put you on the map and give you a login and password to the Hostess Suite.
Can I buy Sweet Monday curriculum and theme books if I don’t register as a hostess?
No. Resources for hosting a Sweet Monday are only available to registered hostesses. However, we understand that God makes everything beautiful in His time. By registering as a hostess you will receive access to monthly curriculum and our six theme books. You can choose when it is the right time to start hosting a Sweet Monday. Once a hostess, always a hostess. As a registered hostess, you have complete and unlimited access to all of our resources.
Where are the curriculum and theme books? I can’t find them in the Shop.
All of our resources for hosting a Sweet Monday are available in the Hostess Suite, to registered hostesses only. Once you have registered as a Sweet Monday Hostess you will be able to download our monthly curriculum and theme books or purchase hard copies.
If I register as a hostess am I committing to start a Sweet Monday in my home?
We would hope so, but not necessarily. You may decide that now is not the right time to begin a Sweet Monday and that’s okay. Sweet Monday is always guilt-free! Once you have registered you can wait until you feel called to start this ministry in your community.
Can I share these resources with a friend?
Yes, definitely! We want Sweet Monday to spread and become a household term! 🙂 However, if your friend decides to start a Sweet Monday we ask that she also sign up as a hostess so that we can offer her the same tools and resources we offer all of our hostesses. We also want to support her in prayer and put her on the map.